Container



E. R. STEPHAN 2,548,130

CONTAINER April 10, 1951 Filed Nov. 4, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. a2 ZZ ,1 $13.2. y ,7

April 10, 1951 E. R. STEPHAN 2,548,130

CONTAINER Filed Nov. 4, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Patented Apr. 10, 1951 CONTAINER Elroy R. Stephan, Milwaukee, Wis.,assignor to Downing Box Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation ofWisconsin Application November 4, 1948, Serial No. 58,279

11 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in containers, and moreparticularly to containers adapted for the transportation and handlingof bottled or canned beverages such as beer.

Containers formed of fiberboard have in recent years, because of theirrelatively inexpensive nature and lightness in weight, becomeincreasingly popular for use as beverage cases in lieu of the woodenboxes formerly employed. Two types of fiberboard containers are commonlyused. One type, the single shipment variety, is formed of relativelylight weight fiberboard and is of a very inexpensive nature. The othertype, with which the present invention is concerned, must be constructedto stand up satisfactorily when re-used seven or eight times.

Containers of this latter variety usually include a pair ofcomplementary flanged cover members foldable toward one another over thetop of the case and having flanges which are adapted to engage verticalslots extending downwardly from the upper edges of the end walls.Containers of this type, however, have caused considerable difliculty inthe bottling plants and breweries because the cover flanges when movingthrough an arc to closing position do not readily enter the vertical endwall slots and there is, therefore, difficulty in effecting quickclosing. Such closing, however, must be performed rapidly, and withoutinterruption, either by hand or by machine, in order to keep' up withthe moving conveyor line on which the filled cases are being carried. V,7

It is, therefore, a general object of the present invention to providean improved fiberboard container which is constructed in a novel mannerto facilitate closing of the covers and insure that the cover flangesmove easily into the end wall slots during such closing movement.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a container asabove described wherein each end wall has two slots extending downwardlyfrom its upper edge with the slots diverging downwardly in invertedV-formation, and wherein the longitudinal flange of each cover member isat an oblique angle to match the angle of the slot which it is adaptedto enter, said angle being approximately in the arc of movement of thecover member flange when the cover is being moved on its hinge.

- A further object of the invention is to provide an' improved containerof the class described which is constructed in a novel manner to produceincreased rigidity in all directions whereby the box will Withstand theusual rough handling,

will withstand pressures applied to two diagonally opposite corners, andwill withstand pressures resulting from stacking a number of the filledcontainers, one on another.

A further object of the invention is to provide a container wherein thecovers and end walls cooperate with each other to produce a bracingeffect against both inward and outward strains when the covers areclosed.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a construction asabove described wherein designate the same parts in all of the viewsqFig. 1 is a perspective view of the container,

with the cover sectionsopen; V

.Fig. 2 is an end view withthe covers closed,

' part of the, material being broken away adjacent thehand hole;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of one of the cut and scored end wall blanksbefore folding;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a corner of one of theopen cover sections illustrating a modification;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view illustrating the cut and scored blank usedto provide the" type of cover flange corner illustrated in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary. perspective view similar to Fig. 4, showinganother modification; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary plan view of a blank to illustrate the cut andscored blank for forming the cover flange constructions'of Fig. 6.

Referring more particularly to the drawings,

the box illustrated is of the Bliss type, but

features of the invention are obviously applicable for usein other typesof boxes.

The container comprises side walls I l and I2 foldably connected toopposite edges of a bottom wall l3; cover-sections l4 and I5 foldabletoward one another from the upper edges of the side walls II and I2, andend walls l6 and I1 secured by metal stitching l8, or in any othersuitable manner, to side wall stitching flaps I 9 and bottom wallstitching flaps 20. The side walls, bottom wall, end walls and cover arepreferably formed of solid fiberboard. They may, however,

3 be formed of corrugated board or other suitable material of likenature.

The cover section M has its outer longitudinal edge formed with anangularly bent longitudinally extending flange 2| and has its end edgesformed with end flanges 22. The cover section l5 has its outerlongitudinal edge formed with a, longitudinal flange 23 and has its endedges formed with end flanges 24. The ends of the end flanges 22 and 24,which are adjacent one another when the cover sections are closed, arecut off obliquely as at 25, and the ends of the longitudinal flanges areformed with right-angularly bent tongues 26 which are stitched to theend flanges as at 21L By referring to Fig. 7, which illustrate's'afragment of the blank for forming the cover of Fig. 1 (before thetongues 42 are cut off) and which also illustrates the blank for themodification of Fig. 6 wherein the tongues 42 are used, it is clear thatin the blank the edges 28 of the tongues 21 are at an obtuse angle withrespect to the score line 29 rather thanin alinement therewith as'iscustomary. With this arrangement, when the tongues 26 are folded toassembled position, as in Fig. 1, With the edges 28 resting against theunder surface of the cover sections proper, the longitudinal flanges 2|and 23 are maintained at an oblique angle which matches the angles ofthe ends 25 of the end flanges.

Referring to Fig. 3, which illustrates one of the end member blanks, thetwo end members l6 and I1 being identical in construction, each end wallhas a hand hole 3|! and also has a line of scorin 3| which defines adownwardly foldable portion 32. The portion 32 is preferably of suchdepth when folded downwardly that the edge 33 substantially registerswith the upper margin of the hand hole.

Midway between the sides of the blank are slots 34 which divergedownwardly in inverted V- formation. The upper outer margin of each slotangles outwardly as at 35. On the other side of thescoreline is anidentical arrangement of slots which, however, are reversed in" positionso that when the portion 32 is folded downwardly its slot portionsregister perfectly with the slot portions of the end wall proper. Theslots of the end Wall portion 32 are designated by the same referencenumerals primed as the slots in the end wall proper. 1

By referring to, the arcuate dot and dash lines. in Fig. 3, it isapparentthat the slots 34 and 34. are approximately parts of arcs whichare struck from the points (a) and (b), as centers.

Referring again to Figs. 1 and 2, the angles of disposition of thelongitudinal cover section flanges 2| and 23 are the same as the anglesof the slots 34 and 34. In other words, the flanges 2| and 23 aredisposed approximately in the arcs of hinging movement of the coversections l4 and I5 and the angles 35 at the tops of theslots compensatefor the fact that the flanges are not curved in cross-section.

When the end Walls, l6 and II are assembled in the container asin Figs.1 and 2. the downwardly folded portions 32 are stitched in the positionsillustrated by metal stitching 36. It is preferred to leave some of thematerialwhich has been cut from the hand holes attached to theuppermargin of each hand hole asat 3] and to have this piece folded upwardlybetween the reinforcing layer 32 and the end wall proper. This providesan extra reinforcement for the upper margin of the hand hole.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Fig.

1, the longitudinal cover flanges 2| and 23 are provided with integralreinforcing strips 38 and 39 Which are folded over and stitched inposition as at 40 and 4 I. These strips are formed without waste fromblanks when the cover portions are shaped as shown in Fig. 7. In theform of the invention illustrated in Fig. 1, the triangular section ofmaterial 42 adjacent each cover end flange is'cut off. Howeyer, in themodification of Fig. 6, this piece of material is left attached at theline 42 and may be bent around the ends of the cover flanges andstitched in position as at 43 to further reinforce the corners.

As another possible modification the blank may be formed as in Fig. '5with the reinforcing strips 38 and 39 for the cover flanges omitted butwith the triangular tongues utilized as in Fig. 4.

In use, when the cover sections l4 and I5 are closed, the ends of thelongitudinal cover section flanges 2| and 2,3 are received in therespective downwardly extending diverging slots 3434 of the end walls,as is illustrated in Fig. 2. The reinforcing strips 38 and 39 when used,are preferably cut off short at the ends so as not to enter the slots.When thetriangular tongues 42,'which are foldable around the cover endflanges 2| and 23 are employed, as in Fig. 1, these flanges are alsoreceived in the slots 34-34 when the cover. sections are in closedposition. I

By having the angles of the cover flanges 2| and 23 and the angles ofthe slots 34 approximately in the arcs of swinging movement of the coversections, there is no difficulty in causing the, flanges to properlyenter the slots when the covers are being moved quickly to closingposition. Where the usual vertical slots are employed there issubstantial interference with closing movement due to the fact thatvertical slots are not in the arcs of closing movement. In order'tofurther facilitate closing movement, the outer margins of the slots havebeen angled outwardly as at 3 5 and 35'. These angles compensate, forthefact that the slots 34 and 34', being straight, cannot I conformperfectly with the aijc s of hinging movement. I 2

When the covers are in closed position the container possesses' unusualrigidity. The, side flan es, 2| and 23, together with the reinforcingstrips 38 and 39 if used, reinforce the covers against downward pressureand also strengthen thehox a nst war re su e the e d was,

Due to the snug'fitofall of the parts when in closed position,thecontainer is strongly braced against diagonal strains. TheinvertedV-shaped pieces of material 44f and 44 between the down-, wardlydiverging end wall slots 34 are strengthened by being stapl'ecl togetherby metal staples. 45. This lends almost metallic rigidity to the parts44 and 44]. g I

Although only a few forms of theinvention have been shown and described,it i siob vious that variouschanges and 'rnodificationsmay be madewithout departing from thelspirit'of the inyen-f' tion, and all of suchchangesarecontemplated, as may come within the scope of the claims.

What I claim is: X

1. In a container havin side and end walls, each end Wall having apairof downwardly di verging upper edge slots, complementary coversections hinged to sai d side. stalls. and having longitudinal edges'fo'ldable toward one another over the container, 'and, longitudinalflanges on. said longitudinal edges otthe'cover sections, one ofthe'pair of slots of. each end wall being posi'-' tioned to receive theends of the longitudinal flange of one of said cover sections and theother of the pair of Slots of each end wall being positioned to receivethe ends of the longitudinal flange of the other cover section when saidcover sections are closed, and each flange being at an oblique angle tomatch the angle of its respective end wall slots.

2. In a container having side and end walls, each end wall having a pairof downwardly diverging upper edge slots, complementary cover sectionshinged to said side walls and having longitudinal edges ioldable towardone another over the container, and longitudinal flanges on saidlongitudinal edges of the cover sections, one of the pair of slots ofeach end wall being positioned to receive the ends of the longitudinalflange of one of said cover sections and the other of the pair of slotsof each end wall being positioned to receive the ends of thelongitudinal flange of the other cover section when said cover sectionsare closed, and means for maintaining each flange at an oblique angle tomatch the angle of its respective end wall slots.

3. In a container having a side and end walls, each end wall having apair of downwardly diverging upper edge slots, complementary coversections'hinged to said side walls and having longitudinal edgesfoldable toward one another Over the container, and longitudinal flangeson said longitudinal edges and end flanges on the end edges of the coversections, one of the pair of slots of each end wall being positioned toreceive the ends of the longitudinal flange of one of said coversections and the other 'of the pair of slots of each end wall beingpositioned to receive the ends of the longitudinal flange of the othercover section when said cover sections are closed, and means connectingends of said cover section end flanges to ends of said longitudinalflanges while maintaining each longitudinal flange at an oblique angleto match the angle of its respective end wall slots.

4. In a container having side and end Walls, each end wall having a pairof downwardly divergin upper edge slots, complementary cover sectionshinged to said walls and having longitudinal edges foldable toward oneanother over the container, and longitudinal flanges on each of saidlongitudinal edges and end flanges on the end edges of the coversections, one of the pair of slots of each end wall bein positioned toreceive the ends of the longitudinal flange of one of said coversections, and the other of the pair of slots of each end wall beingpositioned to receive the ends of the longitudinal flange of the othercover section when said cover sections are closed, and tongues foldablefrom the ends of each longitudinal flange of each cover section andconnected to the adjacent ends of the end flanges to maintain eachlongitudinal flange at an oblique angle to match the .angle of itsrespective end wall slots. 7

5. In a container having side and end walls, each end wall having a pairof do'wnwardly'diverging upper edge slots, complementary cover sectionshinged to said side walls and having longitudinal edges foldable towardone another over the container, and longitudinal flanges on each of saidlongitudinal edges and end flanges on the end edges of the coversections, one of the pair of slots of each end wall being positioned toreceive the ends of the longitudinal flange of one of said coversections, and the other of the pair of slots of each end wall beingpositioned to receive the ends of the longitudinal flange of the othercover section when said cover sections are closed, and tongues foldablefrom the end flanges of each cover section and connected to the adjacentends of the longitudinal flanges to maintain each longitudinal flange atan oblique angle to match the angle of its respective end Wall slots.

6. In a container having side and end walls, each end wall having a pairof downwardly diverging upper edge slots, complementary cover sectionshinged to said side walls and having longitudinal edges foldable towardone another over the container, longitudinal flanges on each of saidlongitudinal edges of the cover sections, end flanges on the end edgesof the cover sections having end edges adjacent the longitudinal flangeswhich are each at an oblique angle to match the angle of the adjacentend wall slot, one of the pair of slots of each end wall beingpositioned to receive the ends of the longitudinal flange of one of saidcover sections, and the other of the pair of slots of each end Wallbeing positioned to receive the ends of the longitudinal flange of theother cover section when said cover sections are closed, and meansconnecting the ends of said longitudinal flanges to the oblique endedges of the end flanges of each cover section to maintain eachlongitudinal flange at an oblique angle to match the angle of itsrespective end wall slots.

7. In a container having side and end walls, each end wall having a pairof downwardly diverging upper edge slots, complementary cover sectionshinged to said side walls and having longitudinal edges foldable towardone another over the container, longitudinal flanges on each of saidlongitudinal edges of the cover sections,

end flanges on the end edges of the cover sections having end edgesadjacent the longitudinal flanges which are each at an oblique angle tomatch the angle of the adjacent end wall slot, one of the pair of slotsof each end wall being positioned to receive the ends of thelongitudinal flange of one of said cover sections, and the other of thepair of slots of each end wall being positioned to receive the ends ofthe longitudinal flange of theother cover section when said coversections are closed, and tongue foldable from the ends of saidlongitudinal flanges for connecting the ends of said longitudinalflanges to the oblique end edges of the end flanges of each coversection to maintain each longitudinal flange at an oblique angle tomatch the angle of its respective end wall slots.

8. In a container having side and end walls, each end-wall having a pairof upper edge slots which diverge downwardly for the major portion oftheir length, portions of the outer sides of the slots near the upperends thereof divergin upwardly, complementary cover sections hinged tosaid side walls and having longitudinal edges foldable toward oneanother over the container, longitudinal flanges on said longitudinaledges of the cover sections, one of the pair of slots of each end wallbeing positioned to receive the longitudinal flange of one of said coversections and the other of the pair of slots of each end wall beingpositioned to receive the ends of the longitudinal flange of the othercover section when said cover sections are closed, and each flange beingat an oblique angle to match the angle of the major portion of thelength of its respective end wall slots.

9. In a container having side and end walls, each end wall having a pairof upper edge slots which diverge downwardly for the major portion oftheir length, portions of the outer sides of the slots near the upperends thereof diverging upwardly, complementary cover sections hinged tosaid side walls and having longitudinal edges foldable toward oneanother over the container, longitudinal flanges on said longitudinaledges of the cover sections, one of the pair of slots of each end wallbeing positioned to receive the longitudinal flange of one of said coversections and the other of the pair of slots. of each end wall beingpositioned to receive the ends of the longitudinal flange of the othercover section when said cover sections are closed, and each flange beingat an oblique angle to match the angle of the major portion of thelength of its respective end wall slots, the slots together with theupwardly diverging outer side portions thereof being a'pproxi mately inthe arcs of hinging movement of the cover sections.

10-. In a container having side and end walls, each end wall having anupper edge portion folded downwardly to produce a double thickness,there bein a pair of downwardly diverging slots extending through boththickness-es in the upper edge of each end wall, and there. being adouble thickness section of material of inverted V-shape between thepair of slots on each end wall, metal staplesv extending through boththicknesses of material of said inverted V-shaped sections,complementary cover sections hinged to said side walls, and havinglongitudinal edges foldable toward one another over the container,longitudinal flanges. on said longitudinal edges of the cover sections.one of the pair of slots of each end wall being positioned to receivethe ends of the longitudinal flange of one of said cover sections andthe other of the pair of slots of each end wall being positioned toreceive the ends of the longitudinal flange of the other cover sectionwhen said cover sections are closed, each flange being at an obliqueangle to match the angle of its respective end wall slots.

11. In a container having side and end walls: a cover hinged to at leastone of said side walls, said cover having a. longitudinal edge formedwith a longitudinal flange, each of said end walls being formed with aslot having a surface which extends downwardly at an oblique angle fromthe upper edge of said end wall toward the side wall to which said coveris hinged, said end wall slots being, positioned so that said, angledsurfaces thereof are engaged by the longitudinal flange of the coverwhen said cover is closed, and said longitudinal cover flange being atan oblique angle relative to said cover to match the angle of the angledsurface of said end wall slots.

ELROY R. STEPHAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,250,746 Burr July 29, 19412,382,819 Richards et al Aug. 14, 1945

